Animals don’t hibernate because it’s cold. They hibernate because the cost of obtaining food outweighs the gain. It’s just easier to sleep it off.

Winter is not just hard for bears, either. I work with a lot of clients in the hospitality industry, for example, which is an industry that understands the harsh realities of winter as well as any grizzly bear.

However, while most companies in the hospitality field were bemoaning this particularly brutal winter, my clients had their best seasons ever.

What was the difference?

I’d like to say it was me, but the truth is that they are different because they’re focused, organized, and continually investing in their growth. They’re becoming Evergreen – able to thrive in any condition.

They didn’t spend time worrying about it being a slow season.

Instead, they remained focused on how they could make every guest interaction count. The explored how they could continually provide better service and experience for their guests. Or they asked how they could use the down time to help their staff reach ever greater levels of excellence. That’s just scratching the surface.

How do you handle the winters in your business, whether they’re actual seasonal slowdowns or simply the result of external economic factors?

Do you wring your hands with worry, or do you prepare for the coming spring?

Those who do the latter tend to have better winters, too.